Syndicate

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 23, 2012) – Bruce Hollander and Cary Shapoff’s graded stakes-placed Csaba, along with Hollander, Shapoff, and trainer Phil Gleaves’ Miami Cat, headline a field of nine sophomore colts and geldings that are scheduled to cover one mile on the Calder Casino & Race Course turf Saturday for the $55,000 Mambo Meister. The race is named in honor of the popular Gleaves-trained gelding, a nine-time stakes winner at Calder that broke down during a routine morning workout on April 9.

Csaba exits a commanding off-the-turf allowance victory at Calder on May 12 where the colt led at every call en route to a 5 ¾-length triumph. Earlier this season, the son of Kitten’s Joy crossed the wire third in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes on the Gulfstream Park turf where he finished less than three lengths behind runner-up Dullahan, who has since returned to win the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes and finish third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Starting from post five in the Mambo Meister, Csaba will be ridden by Luis Saez.

The rapidly developing Miami Cat has made just three starts during his brief career, finding the winner’s circle in two of those outings, including a 6 ¾-length win when stretched out around two turns for the first time in his last start, a May 8 entry-level allowance.

The homebred son of Powerful Goer has drawn post two for his stakes debut and will be paired with jockey Fernando Jara.

Luis Duco Stables, Inc.’s Empire Builder, third in the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy at Gulfstream in January and most recently runner-up to Csaba in the aforementioned May 12 allowance, will look to remain unbeaten on the Calder turf when starting from post four in the Mambo Meister.

Empire Builder broke his maiden on the Calder green last September before returning one month later to prevail in an entry-level allowance.

The son of Kitten’s Joy will be ridden by Jonathan Gonzales.

Also scheduled for a start in the Mambo Meister are Kathleen Amaya and Raffaele Centofanti's Musical Flair and A and V Investments, Inc.'s El Romano, the respective third and fourth-place finishers in this year's off-the-turf running of the Calder Derby.

Completing the field for the race is My Magic Touch Stable’s Farmers Marker, Sandra J. Brown’s Two Is to Many, Herman Van den Broeck’s Small Token, and New Phoenix Stable’s Imperador Sarava.

The $55,000 Mambo Meister will go as the 10th race on an 11-race Saturday program with an approximate post time of 4:59 p.m.

In addition to the Mambo Meister, the Saturday card from Calder will also feature the fourth and final leg of the rich Calder Starter Series, to be run at the distance of 1 1/16 miles on turf with a purse of $50,000.

Fair Whit, Power Rules, and Barra d'Oro, the top three finishers from the May 12 third leg, return for Saturday’s turf tilt along with second-leg second and third-place finishers Nineinthenine and Bingo Bango Bongo, and series newcomers Liberty Cap and Let It Rock.

The fourth leg of the Calder Starter Series will go as race seven with a post time of 3:34.